Thai royal and noble titles


Thai royal and noble titles are the royal and noble styles indicating relationship to the king which were introduced by King Trailokanat. The system is rooted in the Thai language equivalent of feudalism, sakdina. Borne of a polygamous royal tradition in which monarchs and noblemen often had dozens of children, such royal and noble titulary is similar to Western concepts of peerage. A title of honor may not be confined to the beginning or the end of the name, but may be split across the name. Those with titles ceased to be known by personal names, and were referred to by the awarded title. The King could bestow a title on anyone, although such promotion was personal and the person's children would not normally benefit from it. The complex and nuanced distinctions in rank of the titles are largely uncaptured by their glosses into Western-style terms. With the exception of a handful of titles for women, the bestowal of noble titles ended after the Siamese revolution of 1932, and the adoption of monogamy resulted in far fewer royal consorts and issue who could receive such styles. As a result, the old titles are obscure even to most Thais.

Historical context

Historically Southeast Asia was under the influence of Ancient India, where numerous Indianized principalities and empires flourished for several centuries in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam. The influence of Indian culture into these areas was given the term indianization. French archaeologist, George Coedes, defined it as the expansion of an organized culture that was framed upon Indian originations of royalty, Hinduism and Buddhism and the Sanskrit dialect. This can be seen in the Indianization of Southeast Asia, spread of Hinduism and Buddhism. Indian diaspora, both ancient and current, played an ongoing key role as professionals, traders, priests and warriors. Indian honorifics also influenced the Malay, Thai, Filipino and Indonesian honorifics. Thai royal titles are based on Indian Hindu texts, such as Ramayana where each reigning Thai king is called Rama.

The Sovereign

There are two styles which can be used for a king in ordinary speech, depending on whether he has been crowned:
Traditionally, titles of royal wives depended on their birth titles and royal favour; only princesses of high birth assuming titles higher than Chao Chom. There were no clear rules about the hierarchy of titles above Chao Chom until the time of King Mongkut, and titles changed over successive reigns.
The rule about commoners also seems to be evolving, and it appears that there are no more restrictions on a commoner from becoming queen. Most of the titles below are from King Vajiravudh's 1924 enactment of the Succession Law.

Princes and princesses

Holders of these titles are still considered royal, since they are two generations removed from a king. Nai Luang is an epithet for a king. Children of a king are called Luk Luang, and grandchildren of a king are called Laan Luang. The concept is similar to the French system of "princes of the blood" and the Iberian system of "infantes." In English, they are normally called "prince" or "princess". Special forms are used when one wishes to address them, although the language is less elaborate than when speaking to the king or the queen. A male Luk Luang who does not accede to the throne would assume a new royal surname, normally reflecting his birth name. The surname can be used by his wife if she is a commoner by birth, possibly with Na Ayudhya added if she has no noble title. It is otherwise not normally used until his children first hold the title of Mom Chao, when the surname will first appear in their names.

Sovereign's children

Viceroy's children

Sovereign's grandchildren

Sovereign's nephew or niece

Viceroy's grandchildren

Sovereign's great-grandchildren

Royal descendants

More distant royal progeny, starting from the children of male Mom Chao, are considered commoners. However, these commoners have titles indicating that their ancestry can be traced back to a king.

Mom Rajawongse

Mom Rajawongse is the title assumed by children of male Mom Chao M.C. M.C. After first name Informally, they may be called Khun Chai or Khun Ying . Holders of this title are occasionally erroneously referred to as princes or princesses in older English documents; it is now more common to use the correct title, "Mom Rajawongse". If a specific title is appended, sometimes the titular may be called His/Her Grace by proclamation of the King or a Prince-Regent, but not by a Queen-regent or any royal member sitting in the King's capacity as a Councillor-of-State.

Mom Luang

Mom Luang are the last royal descendants retaining a title. Mom Luang titles are conferred on children of male Mom Rajawongse. Colloquially, they are sometimes addressed as "Mom"; the correct informal address is "Khun".nlk

Na Ayudhya

In the Family Name Act, B. E. 2465, Rama VI ordered that royal descendants who do not hold any title should append "Na Ayudhya" to their surname to signify they are descended from a royal bloodline. Sometime spelled "Na Ayutthaya".

Wife of prince

Wives of princes have titles, depending on the titles on both sides.

Phra Vorachaya

Phra Vorachaya is a title of the royal consort of the Crown Prince. She is elevated to Phra Chao Vorawongse Ther Phra Ong Chao''.

Phra Chaya

Phra Chaya is a princess, [|Chao Fa] or Phra Ong Chao who is married to prince, at every level. She retains her own title. When referring to her as a wife of the prince, she may be called "Phra Chaya Nai ".

Chaya

Chaya is a princess or Mom Chao who is married to prince, at every level. Again, she would retain her own title. When referring to her as a wife of the prince, she may be called "Chaya Nai ".

Mom

Mom , in this context, is a commoner married to a prince. She uses this title as a prefix of her name, adding na Ayudhya to her new surname; for example, Mom Srirasmi Mahidol na Ayudhya. If she has her own title, she retains it.

Married princesses

The son of a holder of the following titles generally inherits a title one step below; a female Mom Rajawongse married to a commoner would produce a child with no title. According to the Royal Marriages Act, B. E. 2475, a princess wishing to marry to a commoner must request royal permission and abandon her royal title. For example, if princess Chao Fa, HRH Princess of Thailand, wished to marry a Mom Rajawongse commoner she would lose her royal title but retain royal style as follows:
However, Chao Fa Chulabhorn Walailak received permission from the king to keep her title when she married commoner Virayudh Tishyasarin.

Nobility

The nobility of Siamese feudalism was enacted by Trailokkanat, king of the Ayutthaya Kingdom, in 1454. The Act of Sakdina of Civil, Military and Colony classified citizens by role and responsibilities: royal family, nobility, bhikkhus, commoners and slaves.
The nobility is part of the Thai honour system for rewarding bravery, achievement, or service to the monarch. The sovereign confers peerages, including titles of nobility and orders of chivalry. Thai peerage is an honour under the crown, and a holder can be withdrawn or elevated to higher rank. The peerage consists of a prefix signifying the rank and an honorific name. Before the Siamese revolution of 1932, the peerage had four groups: royal, civil and military, courtiers and clergy.

Royal peerage

Enacted by King Narayana the Great, the peerage had Krom for managing their household and staffs. Feudal titles were granted until just after the 1932 Revolution brought an end to absolute monarchy, and for that matter, feudalism in Thailand. The titles are now obsolete, although on very rare occasions the king may still grant an honorary feudal title to a royal.
The full title granted consists of a prefix, which signifies the rank, and an honorific name, which can well be recycled. Taking the above example, the rank was "Luang" and the honorific name was "Narathiwat Rajanakarin". The appointee would use the full title in place of his names. However, as the honorific name can be repeated, when referring to a previous title holder, his former name may be written in a bracket to avoid confusion, for example: Phraya Kosathibodi and Phraya Kosathibodi.
It is again a bit more complicated with the Chao Fa and Phra Ong Chao. If given a feudal title, they are said to "Song Krom". The title is prefixed with the word "Krom", appended to the former princely title. For example, the full title of the King's sister is "Somdej Phra Chao Pheenang Ther Chao Fa Galyani Vadhana Kromma Luang Narathivat Rajanakarin. Nevertheless, it is the princely title which will be more frequently omitted when contracting the title e.g. Somdej Phra Chao Boromawong Ther Kromma Phraya Damrong Rajanubhab. Feudal titles are not inheritable. There are 5 feudal titles for prince/princess:
The ranks of royal peerage are:
Since the time of King Chulalongkorn, the honorific titles given to the royalties normally incorporate a city name or its modified form, and the holders are known in English as the Prince or Princess of that city.
The sovereign may grant titles to other royal-family members:
  1. Somdet Phra Prathom Borom Ratchachonok: HRH Prince Father of Rama I
  2. Somdet Phra Rupsirisobakya Mahanaknari: HRH Princess Rupsirisobakya Mahanaknari, Mother of Queen Amarindra
  3. Somdet Phra Piyamavadi Sri Bajarindra Mata: HRH Princess Piyamavadi Sri Bajarindra Mata, Mother of Queen Saovabha Bongsri
  4. Somdet Phra Sri Savarindira Barom Raja Devi: HM Queen Sri Savarindira, Queen Grandmother of Rama VIII and Rama IX
  5. Somdet Phra Mahitaladhibes Adulyadejvikrom Phra Borom Ratchachonok: HRH Prince Mahidol Adulyadej, Prince Father of Rama VIII and Rama IX
  6. Somdet Phra Debaratanarajasuda Chao Fa Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Rathasimagunakornpiyajat Sayamboromrajakumari: HRH Princess Sirindhorn, the Princess Royal

    Civil and military peerage

Men

These titles were given only to men and were not inheritable, similar to a life peerage. European equivalents were also used on diplomatic missions. Although all are obsolete, Phan and Nai have modern meanings. Civil and military peerage had the following order of precedence:
  1. Somdet Chao Phraya Maha Kshatriyas Suek: Granted by King Taksin of Thonburi
  2. Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Bijaya Yati: Granted by Rama IV
  3. Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Prayurawongse: Granted by Rama IV
  4. Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Sri Suriyawongse: Granted by Rama V
  1. Gold Class : For ministers who are Mom Rajawongse or Mom Luang; also awarded to commoners. Akin to a royal dukedom with the appellation "His Excellency."
  2. Silver Class : For ministers who are commoners and other honorees. Akin to a non-royal dukedom with the appellation "His Grace."
  3. Regular Class: akin to that of a non-royal marquisate with the equivalent appellation of "The Most Honourable"
Note: Chao Khun equivalent to Lord in British terminology, used as a generic term to denote peerages of Phraya and Chao Phraya

Women

These titles were given only to women, and were non-hereditary. They were ordered as follows:

Men

Chao Khun, Thao, Luang Mae Chao, and Cha are all obsolete.

Khun (courtesy title)

Khun, a courtesy title pronounced with a middle tone, should not be confused with the similarly-spelled tree or the feudal title of Khun. The courtesy title is used for children born to a noble mother who gave up her title to marry a man of lesser rank; a notable example was the late Khun Poom Jensen. Today, this word is used informally to courteously address nearly anyone except those who hold a title of Mom Rajawongse or higher. It is T-V distinct from thoe.